tannietara- Any stone (bluestone slate), travertine, brick, or concrete will get hot in the sun because of the thermal mass capacity of these dense materials. If you do use these them, you should consider lighter colors as they will reflect more of the solar radiation striking them, rather than absorbing it as will darker colors. Travertine may have the edge here, and by its nature is less dense than bluestone slate. You might also consider separating bluestone pavers with intermediate grids of turf (best), pea gravel, or decomposed granite which will break up the mass of the stone and help allow the stone pavers to cool. Always wanted to see Perth! -Greg

What a great pool for starters. I do see your dilemma though. For the fence: I would give it a paint, choose a colour that ties your house in. Add laser cut screens or put in a vertical wall garden as you don't have a lot of room to have a row of pots. In saying that a few large pots around are great to add some interest and colour. Strelitzia's are great plants to use. Tough, can handle sun, lovely bright orange flowers. Certain sun loving bromeliads, great colours. Clumping palms are always a winner. Just watch yuccas, as previously suggested, as they are often spikey, with kids running around I would stick with softer foliage. Somewhere to sit is always important but again you don't seem to have a lot of space and you don't want to overcrowd the area. Perhaps a long bench seat along the far fence, include outdoor cushions and built in storage under seat for pool toys. A large umbrella in the corner for some shade. All of these can add colour while being practical. However I do like the idea of extending the back pool fence out to create more space, Bali hut here we come! This may not be an option.... Good luck, I'm sure with a bit of planning you can turn this into a beautiful space for everyone to enjoy.

Has no-one any idea how totally destructive ALL Ficus plants are - especially around pools. If people dont know anything at all about plants, then they should leave advice to the experts. Ficus have horrific root systems. It may take 10 to 20 years for the damage to become evident, but the damage costs a lot of money to resolve. Experienced and plant knowledgeable garden designers know NEVER to use Ficus in any situation other than in pots - and even here they need to be raised pots off the ground. Do not offer advice if you are plant ignorant. Many landscapers plant and walk away, with no accountability for their flawed advice or landscaping. They can be sued for this. Plant growers grow these plants because of the demand - not because they are good plants. A reputable Horticulturist-designer would never suggest Ficus planted into a garden - especially around a pool. Their roots are shockers.

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